A New Zealand primary school has abolished gendered uniforms for its pupils and replaced them with shorts, a kilt and trousers that can be worn by either sex.

The move came after complaints from female students who resisted having to wear a skirt.

Dunedin North Intermediate in the South Island has more than 200 pupils aged between 10 and 13 years. In late 2015 a number of female students began asking why they were restricted to wearing kilts to school, saying the archaic uniform reinforced traditional and outdated gender stereotypes.

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The school agreed the girls could wear trousers, and a small number of girls started wearing the boys uniform in 2016.

However this option added further complications, with the girls who chose to wear trousers bring teased for dressing like boys.

“The first changes seemed like a bit of a punishment actually,” said Heidi Hayward, principal of Dunedin North Intermediate school.

“We said you don’t have to wear the skirt, but you have to wear the traditional boys uniform, that looks very much like a boys uniform, and be subject to these constant questions and jokes about whether you’re a boy or a girl.”

The uniform has now been extended to include five options, able to be worn by either male or female students - shorts, long shorts, a kilt, trousers or culottes.

So far none of the male students have chosen to wear the kilt, but it would be “totally fine” if they did, said Hayward.

“I would take offence to being told I had to wear a skirt to work every day because I am female, so this is about being responsive to the kids telling us we are perpetuating gender stereotypes, and what is going on in society at the moment,” she said.

“Hopefully the flow-on effect from this is kids at our school who are questioning their gender or sexuality, hear that message that it is ok and we value diversity and being comfortable in your own skin.”

Although the reaction from the students at Dunedin North was low-key, Hayward said many parents were “confused” and had questions about the new options.

An 11-year-old female pupil was one of the students campaigning for gendered uniforms to be abolished. Since the new rules were introduced, she has chosen to wear shorts to school instead of a kilt.

“I found it sexist that girls were told to wear skirts or kilts, and boys got to wear shorts or trousers,” she said.

“It felt good that we now have choices. It is not really a big deal but it was about feeling comfortable, and we have that now.”

Hayward said her school still had segregated toilets for boys and girls, but this was a funding issue, which she anticipated being addressed in the near-future.